Continuous object forming press



CONTINUOUS OBJECT FORMING PRESS Filed Sept. 28, 1931 n n n 25 L? INVENTOR.

3?: a MYM i i I ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES.

1,921,200 I CONTINUOUS OBJECT FORMING PRESS 7 Edward C. Mueller, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to fiterling Wheelbarrow Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a Corporation of Wisconsin 7 Application September '28, 1931 Serial N0. 565,479

2 Claims (Cl. 153'22) The present invention relates'in general to improvements in the art of forming elements having certain characteristics, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of presses for forming continuous metal'objects such as the sidewalls of foundry flasks. V

An object of the invention is to provide an improved press which is simple in construction and which is highly efficient in operation.

In the construction of foundry flasks it is common practice to form the side walls of each flask of a'continuous strip of metal bent into rectangular form and having the adjoining ends interconnected as by welding. These flask walls are formed in a power press wherein a plunger is moved by fluid under pressure toward a mandrel or horn having a die of proper shape secured thereto, and successive corners of the strip of metal are punched to the desired shape there by eventually producing a continuous flask wall which surrounds the mandrel or horn. In order to permit'subsequent removal of the continuous piece from the horn, it has heretofore been proposed to make one of the end bearings of the horn removable so as to permit the continuous pressed object to be endwise removed from the horn. As these continuous pieces of pressed metal are relatively heavy and the man'drels or horns are of considerable length, it is extremely inconvenient and cumbersome to remove the pressed objects from the horns of the prior art machines. I

It is a more specific object of the present inverition to provide an improved press of the type utilizing a mandrel or horn and adapted to form continuous metal objects such as the walls of foundry flasks, wherein the pressed objects may be more conveniently removed from the mandrel.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved press for forming continuous objects of various shapes, wherein the stationary die may be quickly withdrawn to permit rapid and convenient removal of a pressed object. I

These and other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description. A clear conception of an embodiment of the invention and of the mode of constructing and of operating presses built in accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters desighate the same or similar Views:

Fig. l is a part sectional side elevation of an improved press showing a continuous object being held in position between the movable ram and the forming die; 7

Fig. 2 is a: transverse vertical section through the press taken along the line 2-=2 of Fig.1 and showing a pressed object suspended against the die with the plunger or ram removed from the object; o

Fig. 3 is a side View of the improved press showing the horn which carries the stationary die, removed from a completed object and also showing the ram withdrawn therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a section through the horn showing a modified type of die applied thereto; and

Fig. 5 is a similar section through the horn showing still another ype of die associated therewith.

While the invention will be described herein as specifically applied'to a press. especially adapted for the formation of foundry flask structures, it will be apparent that the novel features are more generally applicable and that the claims should not be unnecessarily restricted due to such dis closure. As will be apparent from Figs. 4 and 5, various types of diesmay be used in'conjunction with the improved press to form objects of difife'r ent shapes. 7

The improved press specifically disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises -in general a frame 8 having oppositely disposed upwardly projecting supports 9, 10 associated therewith; a cylinder 11 rigidly attached to the frame between the supports' 10; a plunger or ram 12 movable Verncally within the cylinder 11; a mandrel or horn 13 'slidably mounted within the supports 9, '10 in parts in the various line with'the ram 12; and means for sliding the horn 13 longitudinally of its axis and awayfrom the support 9.

The cylinder 11 is provided with an endhead 14 and with a pipe 15 for admitting fluid under pressure to the interior of the cylinder 11 beneath the lower surface of the ram. The upper portion of the rain 12 is provided with a recess 16 having a shape corresponding to the exterior of the bend which it is desired to produce. The lower face of the portion of the horn 13 midway between'thesupports 9, 10 is provided v with a die 17 corresponding in shape to the shape of the recess 16 in the ram 12 so that when a piece of metal 18 is disposed between the ram and the die 17, and the ram 12 is forced upwardly by the admission of fluid under pressure through completed metal frame, comprises a fluid pressure actuated piston 20 movable within a cylinder 21 disposed parallel to the axis of the horn 13. The piston 20 is provided with a piston rod 22 the end of which is rigidly connected to the corresponding end of the horn 13 by means of a link 23 and clamping nuts 24,25. The horn 13 is slidably supported in a guide 26 so as to insure movement thereof along its longitudinal axis and fluid under pressure may be admitted to the cylinder 21 at the opposite ends of the piston 20 by means of a valve 27. By turning the valve to the position shown in Fig. 1, fluid under pressure will be admitted to the space at the left of the piston 20 and the space at the right of this piston will be placed in communication with the exhaust. By turning the valve counter-clockwise through an angle of ninety degrees, fluid under pressure will be admitted to the space at the right ofthe piston 20 and the space at the left thereof will be'placed into communication with the exhaust. j

The completed continuous piece or metal 18 may be supported by means of a crane hook 2 and a sling 29 in the manner illustrated in the drawing. The die 1'? may be replaced by other dies 17, .17" of the form shown in Figs. 4, and 5, and when such substitution is made, an insert die of suitable contour should be placed into the recess 16 of the ram 12.

When it is desired to form a continuous object such as foundry flask frame, the horn 13 with the die 17 applied thereto is positioned as shown in Fig. l. The piece of metal is then placed in position against the die 17 and the ram 12 is elevated to bend the successive corners until the strip 18 has been bent into rectangular form as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The sling 29 and hook 28 may then bebrought into position as shown in Fig. 1 whereupon the ram 12 may be lowered thus leaving the weight of the frame supported upon the hook 28 through the sling'29, as shown in Fig. 3. The valve'27 may then be manipulated to endwise withdraw the'horn 13 from the end support '9, thus permitting free sidewise removal or" the completed piece. By virtue of the fact that the horn 13 is withdrawn suflicient distance along the guide 26, the removal of the completed continuous body is unobstructed and can therefore be quickly effected. The cooperation between the end of thehorn 13 and the support 9 during normal pressing operamoval of the completed objects.

tion, however, insures desired rigidity of the structure when pressing is being accomplished.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention provides simple and highly efficient means for effecting removal of continuous pressed objects from a press of the type disclosed. The additional cost of the mechanism for sliding the horn 13 longitudinally of its axis is insignificant when it is considered that these presses are capable of rapidly forming the continuous objects and that considerable time is saved in the removal of the formed objects. The end supports, 9, 10 maintain the desired rigidity in the structure and do not interfere with the removal of the completed objects. The device may be readily manipulated to press the continuous objects and for the re- The device is extremely simple and compact in construction aside from being highly efficient in operation.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the inventionto the exact details of construction herein shown and described, for various modifications Within the scope of .the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a base having laterally spaced fixed supportsprovided with alined polygonal openings, a mandrel snugly fitting and slidable longitudinallythrough said openings, a ram carried by said base and movable laterally toward said mandrel between said supports to form continuous objects loosely surrounding said mandrel, and means for withdrawing said mandrel longitudinally from within one of said openings and from said space sufiiciently to' permit lateral removalof the completed objects from said space and transverselyof the axis of movement of said mandrel.

. 2. In combination, a base having laterally spaced supports provided with alined polygonal openings, a mandrel snugly fitting and slidable longitudinally through said openings, a ram carried by said base and movable laterally toward said mandrel between said supports to form continuous objects loosely surrounding said mandrel, means for withdrawing .said mandrel longitudinally from within one of said openings and from said space sufliciently to permit lateral removal of the completed objects from said space-and transversely of the axis or" movement of said mandrel, and a fluid pressure actuated plunger disposed laterally of and movable parallel to the mandrel axis for longitudinally moving said mandrel, said mandrel being removable i om both of said supports Without necessitating removal of said plunger.

EDWARD o. MUELL R.- 

